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The European Parliament voted refused to ratify ACTA yesterday.Though the outcome was expected, the numbers were telling — 478 to 39. Earlier, the International Trade Committee recommended against the treay by a vote of 19 votes to 12.

Popular sentiment against the bill has been running deep in Europe. Earlier in the year, hundreds of thousands marched against it while millions signed anti-treaty petitions. In the ends, the European Parliament concluded that ACTA cannot guarantee adequate privacy protection for citizens.

The vote against ACTA marks the first time the parliament used its powers under the Lisbon Treaty to reject an international trade agreement. Without Europe’s ratification, chances are ACTA will die as a global effort. Still, fact its implementation is being debated in a number of nations, including the U.S., Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and Switzerland. If six countries ratify, it does become into force within their borders. And unfortunately, the spirit of ACTA could return to life under another name and with different interpretations.